Sarah Ferguson’s Epstein Link Reportedly Cost Her Patron Role

It’s another blow for Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, as her past ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein have forced her to step down from one of her most meaningful roles.

Julia’s House, a children’s hospice charity, confirmed that it would be “inappropriate” for her to continue as a patron after emails surfaced showing Ferguson privately apologizing to Epstein in 2011.

The revelations not only cost her patronage but also raised serious questions about her standing in royal circles.

Julia’s House, a respected children’s hospice in Wiltshire, announced that Sarah Ferguson would no longer serve as its patron.

The charity explained its reasoning in a firm statement per the Daily Mail, “Following the information shared this weekend on the Duchess of York’s correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein, Julia’s House has taken the decision that it would be inappropriate for her to continue as a patron of the charity.”

Ferguson had previously described the hospice as a “sanctuary of harmony and joy” during a 2018 visit, where she praised the staff’s dedication to children with life-limiting conditions.

However, after her private emails to Epstein were made public, Julia’s House said it could not overlook the revelations.

Although the charity thanked her for past support, their decision showed the damage caused by her resurfaced connection to the convicted sex offender.

The scandal centers around newly leaked emails Sarah Ferguson sent to Epstein in 2011.

Just weeks after telling the press she had cut ties with him, she wrote privately to apologize.

In one of the messages obtained by the Daily Mail, she called him a “steadfast, generous and supreme friend” and admitted she had only distanced herself to protect her career as a children’s author.

She wrote, “Sometimes the heart speaks better than the words. You have my heart. With lots of love, dear Jeffrey.”

In another email, she insisted she had never referred to him as a “paedophile” and expressed regret for disavowing him publicly.

“I must humbly apologise to you and your heart for that,” she added.

These messages starkly contradicted her public remarks at the time, when she described her dealings with Epstein as a “gigantic error of judgment.”

As criticism grew, Ferguson’s spokesperson explained that the emails were written under pressure.

Epstein had allegedly threatened to sue her for defamation after she condemned him publicly. A friend of the duchess also claimed she was “acting on advice” to try to appease him and avoid legal trouble.

“She acted on the advice she was given to try and get him to drop the threat, which he subsequently did,” the friend said. “She deeply regrets any association with him and abhors paedophilia. She has worked for many years to support vulnerable young people.”

Her team also stressed that she was “taken in by his lies” and that, once she understood the full scope of his crimes, she broke off contact.

However, the tone of her private emails has made her explanations difficult to defend, with royal experts calling the messages “hugely damaging” to her credibility.

The latest scandal is not just damaging for Sarah Ferguson but also for her ex-husband, Prince Andrew, whose ties to Epstein already forced him to step back from royal duties.

King Charles is reportedly under pressure to go further by blocking both Prince Andrew and Ferguson from attending private family events.

Sources told the Daily Mail that the King has “tried every avenue available to him” to distance his brother from Epstein’s legacy, even cutting off private funding and withdrawing security.

With his ex-wife now caught up in a similar controversy, the situation has grown even more difficult for the monarchy. One insider said, “It is about the last sanction he may be able to take.”

Recent appearances by Prince Andrew and Ferguson alongside senior royals have sparked criticism, and experts suggest these resurfaced emails will only fuel calls to fully ostracize them.

Beyond her royal duties, Ferguson’s career as a children’s author and public figure is also under threat.

Royal biographer Andrew Lownie described the 65-year-old’s private words to Epstein as “two-faced” and warned they could damage her work with publishers and charities.

Ferguson has built a second career writing children’s books, including her “Budgie the Helicopter” and “Flora & Fen” series.

She has long promoted herself as a champion for young people, making her emails to Epstein particularly damaging.

“It is hugely damaging to her credibility as a patron of children’s charities and children’s author,” Lownie said.

As charities like Julia’s House sever ties, and as the royal family faces continued fallout, Ferguson’s attempts to defend herself may not be enough to repair the harm.

While she has expressed “deep regret” for ever associating with Epstein, her words continue to cast a shadow on her legacy.